The Disha Salian case can create serious political pressure for Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray, but the Bombay High Court's order does not automatically make him an accused or prove any allegation against him. His legal position will change only if the Central Bureau of Investigation finds credible evidence connecting him to an offence.
On 2 September 2026, the Bombay High Court ordered the CBI to register an FIR and conduct a fresh investigation into Salian's death. The court also made a crucial safeguard clear: no person should be treated as an accused unless the investigation produces sufficient material against that person.
What happened to Disha Salian?
Disha Salian was a Mumbai-based celebrity and talent manager who had worked with several actors. She had also briefly managed Sushant Singh Rajput. On the night of 8 June 2020, she died after falling from a high-rise residential building in Malad, Mumbai.
Mumbai Police registered an Accidental Death Report and conducted an inquiry under Section 174 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. Police maintained that available witness statements, forensic material, call records, CCTV footage and the post-mortem findings did not establish foul play.
Her death attracted intense public attention because Sushant Singh Rajput died six days later, on 14 June 2020. Claims linking the two deaths circulated online, but a timing connection alone does not establish a criminal connection.
Why did the case return after six years?
Disha's father, Satish Salian, initially told police that he did not suspect foul play and expressed satisfaction with the inquiry. He later changed his position and alleged that his daughter had been sexually assaulted and murdered. He approached the Bombay High Court seeking an FIR and a CBI investigation.
His petition contained allegations against Aaditya Thackeray and other individuals. Those claims remain allegations. They have not been proved in court, and the High Court has not declared that any named person committed an offence.
The Maharashtra government had also formed a Special Investigation Team to examine the case. In July 2025, the SIT told the High Court that it had found no evidence of foul play at that stage, although its inquiry was continuing.
What did the Bombay High Court order?
A bench of Justices Sarang Kotwal and Ranjitsinha Raja Bhonsale directed the CBI to register an FIR, record Satish Salian's statement and appoint a suitably senior and experienced officer to investigate. Mumbai Police must hand over the relevant records to the central agency.
The court questioned why the police inquiry had continued for years without the registration of an FIR. During the hearings, the bench observed that an inquiry into the apparent cause of an unnatural death could not substitute for a regular criminal investigation when cognisable allegations required examination.
According to The Indian Express report on the order, the CBI must investigate independently and submit the appropriate report before the competent court.
If the investigation finds no offence, the agency may file a closure or summary report. Satish Salian would then have the right to oppose that report through the legal process.
Did the court order an FIR against Aaditya Thackeray?
No. The court ordered an FIR and investigation into the circumstances of Disha Salian's death. It did not declare Aaditya Thackeray an accused.
The distinction matters. An FIR begins a formal criminal investigation. It is not a judgment of guilt. Investigators must examine records, witnesses, forensic evidence, digital evidence and the allegations made by the complainant.
The High Court expressly said that no individual should be named or treated as an accused without sufficient evidence. This means the CBI cannot assume that every person mentioned in the petition committed an offence.
Why is Aaditya Thackeray's name connected to the case?
Satish Salian's petition asked for an investigation into allegations involving Thackeray and others. Political leaders and social media users had also repeatedly raised his name before the petition reached this stage.
Thackeray has denied the allegations. His lawyer argued before the High Court that the petition was politically motivated, depended on hearsay and was being used by political rivals to damage him. Thackeray has said he would answer the claims through the legal process.
No court finding currently establishes that he was present at the location, participated in a crime or helped conceal one. Any report that presents the petition's claims as proven facts would be inaccurate.
When could the case create legal trouble for Aaditya Thackeray?
Legal trouble could arise if investigators find evidence that justifies formally naming him as an accused. That evidence would need to be tested through the criminal process. Possible steps could include questioning, collection of digital records, a formal notice, searches, charges or arrest, but only if the legal requirements for each step are met.
The following developments would materially change his position:
- The CBI finds reliable witness, forensic, location or communication evidence linking him to an offence.
- The agency names him as an accused in the FIR or a later report based on evidence.
- A court accepts a charge sheet containing material against him.
- A court issues coercive directions after examining the investigation record.
None of these outcomes follows automatically from the High Court order. The current order opens an evidence-based investigation. It does not decide its result.
What political trouble could he face now?
The political impact begins immediately. Rivals can use the CBI probe to question Thackeray, demand explanations and keep the issue in public debate. News coverage and online speculation may also affect his reputation before the agency completes its work.
Shiv Sena (UBT) is likely to describe the allegations as political targeting, while opponents may argue that the investigation was delayed because of influence during the previous Maharashtra government. These are political positions, not judicial findings.
The intensity of the damage will depend on what the CBI does next. Routine questioning may create headlines without proving wrongdoing. Documentary or forensic evidence that contradicts earlier accounts would raise the stakes. A report finding no criminal case would strengthen Thackeray's defence.
What will the CBI investigate?
The CBI is expected to revisit the original case papers, post-mortem material, injury patterns, statements of people present in the flat, building records, call data, digital communications, CCTV material and the sequence of events before Salian's fall.
It may also examine why no FIR was registered earlier, whether evidence was collected and preserved correctly, and whether later allegations have independent support. The passage of six years may make some evidence harder to recover, so existing records and witness consistency will be important.
Will the CBI probe definitely lead to arrest?
No. Registration of an FIR does not guarantee that Aaditya Thackeray or anyone else will be arrested. An arrest requires legal justification. The agency may question witnesses and examine documents without arresting anyone.
If the CBI finds insufficient evidence, it can seek closure. If it finds evidence of an offence, it can proceed against the people supported by that evidence. A trial court would still decide whether charges should be framed, and guilt can be established only through due process.
The clear answer
The Disha Salian case is a political problem for Aaditya Thackeray now, but it becomes a direct legal problem only if the CBI finds evidence against him. The Bombay High Court has ordered a proper investigation because it found the long-running police inquiry insufficient for legal closure. It has not found Thackeray guilty and has protected every individual's status until evidence justifies naming them.
The next important developments will be the wording of the FIR, the witnesses called by the CBI, any new forensic or digital findings and the report eventually filed before the court.